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Writers and Readers: José Antonio Vargas

In 2011, José Antonio Vargas revealed his life as an undocumented immigrant in an essay published in The New York Times Magazine, and he appeared a year later with other undocumented immigrants on the cover of Time Magazine in connection with a follow-up cover story that he wrote.

As the political climate continues to fuel the storms around those in the United States without documentation, Vargas sparks conversation about both sides of this contentious issue. He produced and directed the feature film Documented as well as the MTV television special White People, which explored what it means to be young and white in an America of changing demographics.

He is the founder and CEO of Define American, the nonprofit organization that uses the power of story to transcend politics and shifts the conversation about immigrants, identity, and citizenship in a changing America. His memoir, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen (September 2018), promises to advance both his personal story and the larger conversation about American identity.

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